


No Matter How Bad It Might Be

by Clockwork



Series: Charms and Charmed [5]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Be Careful What You Wish For, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Hindsight is 20/20, Preseries, Sisterly bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-13 06:26:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12978027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clockwork/pseuds/Clockwork
Summary: Tina tries to help Queenie cope with Percival's absence.





	No Matter How Bad It Might Be

The trip was meant to last for two weeks, three at most. That wasn’t just what Queenie had been told, but word around the offices as to how long the President and her entourage would be gone. Certainly they kept track for the legitimate reasons of work to be done, and watching out for the safety of magical folk around the country, but to be honest, it was so they all knew just when the world had to be put back to normal without the sort of lax days and silliness that often filled an office when the bosses were gone. 

On day sixteen, the rest of the contingency returned from Boston, the President included. Percival Graves was not with them. There was no concern amongst the staff that day, the President seemed quite content with how things had gone in the city to the south, and everyone went about their business as usual.

Everyone except for Queenie Goldstein. 

Just two days before she had received an anonymous missive assuring her that things would be back to normal soon and she was missed. Two days prior she had not only finished work on a new dress for herself, but a rather elegant and bespoke jacket that was hanging in Percival’s office, awaiting his return. Now there was no word, nothing to explain the change in plans, and no one seemed to be speaking about the fact that their head of Magical Security was not there. 

It wasn’t hard to try and get information. Not for Queenie. She merely made it a point to take a few extra steps a day. Steps that let her pass by several of the aurors as the went about their business. Normally she might be trying to block the “sounds” around her, to not look into their business more than what came to her naturally with her gifts. Now she was most certainly actively using her legilimency to find out some answers. 

Sadly, all of the hard work was for practically nothing. There was talk of a personal emergency, of the President granting him special leave, and that in the end, no one had a clue where Percival had gone or when he might return. 

Queenie did her best to act as if nothing was amiss. Keeping her regular routine, doing the jobs she was assigned, and if she took her time to listen as she did, well that was her business, wasn’t it?

At least until those things she was listening to brought with them the start of gossip and speculation. It was bound to happen. MACUSA, like any other offices and government building, was rife with talk and romances and rumor, and as the days drew on without Percival Graves moving through the building so did the rumors build. 

Some thought of illness. Others that he might have been fired and the President wasn’t going to speak of it until a replacement was found. Neither sported evidence though, as the President’s routine was unchanged and either would have led to someone in our offices seeking to replace such an important position.   
Once the logical was dismissed, the true rumors began, and they weren’t all brought to Queenie by way of her legilimency. 

People talked in shushed whispers about the possibility of a woman in his life. What if a man? Children were brought up time and again, as was the idea that somehow, in someway, Percival had turned on the wizarding world entirely. Some thought perhaps he had given information to the Second Salemers. Others wondered if they had somehow gotten the jump on Graves.

Many came to Queenie with their thoughts and ideas, speaking to her with a blatant intensity that made it clear they thought she may well know the answer. Wide eyes and the tiniest hint of a smile as they threw out comments about lovers and wives, of children and death, watching her as one might watch a new pup, waiting for it to trip over its own ears. 

Years of hiding her gift though and Queenie was a master of hiding her emotions. From everyone but one.

Which was why she wasn’t at all surprised when she woke one morning, three weeks and a day since the day that Percival had left, to find Tina standing over her bed. Dressed for a day out and not work, looking fairly serious even as she offered an attempt at a bright smile.

“Up and dressed. I reported us out of work,” she said, handing dropping to her stomach and rubbing as she made a poor excuse for a pained face. “I’m not feeling well and you’re staying home to help me. So up and dressed,” she said, giving a nod as if that was that. “Tea’s on and we have a day before us.”

Tina had reported out from work. Tina had told them a lie, that she was sick, and reported out from work. Queenie kept running those words over and over again in her head, because in the end? They didn’t make sense. It was like her sister was speaking a foreign language that Queenie had yet to master. On their own they were words, but coming from her sister, they were another language.

Tossing back her blankets, she slid into a simple wrap dress in rich blue edged in creamy gold piping that she had painted pumps to match. Pinning up a few of her curls, she perched a velvet hat atop her hair that matched the dress and headed for the kitchen. Seated at the table, Tina was sipping her tea and looking just as she might before a day of work. 

“Repeat what you said to me in there,” Queenie demanded, even if her tones were still soft and tender. 

“I said we were not going into work today. I think we need a walk, some time at the market, perhaps head over to that mercantile you enjoy and see what bits and baubles they might have. I have a few pennies we can use and just make a day of it. So do grab a bite so we can go.”

While the words still seemed odd, it was the sense of dread that came with them that left Queenie’s knees shaking as she slowly sank down into her seat, gripping hard at the edge of the table.

“What is it? Tell me.”

“Tell you what?” 

“Tell me what it is you’re hiding from me that you’re doing this.” Because of course, given the time that had lapsed and all the rumors that haunted Queenie even in her sleep, there was only one thing she could think of. “It’s about Percival, isn’t it?”

Setting down her cup with a delicate tink of porcelain against the matching plate, Tina gave her sister a long look, considering her words carefully.

“Honestly, it is and it isn’t. The truth? I’ve heard nothing more than you have. Actually, likely quite a bit less than you have which means that if what people say is only half of what they think? I can’t imagine the horrible things you’ve heard. I’ve had enough people coming to me, trying to pry information from me that I don’t have and don’t think I haven’t seen them hovering about you.”

Caught up in her own pain and worries, Queenie hadn’t thought about how much of it all had been brought to her sister. It was enough dealing with it on her own, and now she had shut Tina out trying to protect her, and it had been for nothing. 

“That doesn’t mean we…”

Tina held up her hand with a shake of her head. “Whatever Graves is up to, he will answer to me when he returns for treating you like this. Until then though, you need a day off. A day away from listening to them, and overhearing them, and having to deal with MACUSA. So again, grab a bite and let’s be off. I’m thinking a walk in the park, and the shops as I said. Perhaps we can grab a show this evening and a bite out. Maybe it’ll mean you get a bit more exhausted and get a full night’s sleep tonight as well.”

Queenie stared at her sister, open mouthed and stunned. Certainly she had hidden her sleeplessness from her sister, hidden the pain as best she could. Not that Queenie was good at hiding her displeasure but that didn’t mean she wanted Tina dragged down into this pain with her. 

Now though, hearing these plans and the thought and trouble that Tina had put into this day and Queenie couldn’t help herself. Slipping around the table in an instant, bending over to hug her sister tightly.

“Tina, you didn’t have to do this. You didn’t have to but I love you for it,” she said, kissing her sister’s cheek. “Thank you.”

Because no matter how much she might try and avoid the rumors the voices she heard that others didn’t, Queenie couldn’t put Percival out of her head. She couldn’t stop thinking about him, about how he had said he would be back soon, and yet there had been no word since then. 

She loves Tina for trying to distract her, sipping her tea and having breakfast before they left, but Queenie knew that despite it all, it wouldn’t work. She wouldn’t stop thinking about him. She wouldn’t stop replaying the whispers and thoughts over and over again in her head. She wouldn’t stop thinking about him, not until she knew the truth. No matter how bad it might be.


End file.
